A ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in the Florida Constitution has failed, the Associated Press projected, marking the first time such an effort has failed at the ballot box since the fall of Roe v. Wade.
In Florida, a little over 57% of the electorate supported the abortion rights initiative — known as Amendment 4 — but it failed to meet the state’s 60% threshold requirement for constitutional amendments. Florida is one of the states with the highest voter approval threshold needed for such measures.
“The reality is because of Florida’s constitution, a minority has decided that Amendment 4 will not be adopted,” said Lauren Brenzel, campaign director of the group behind the initiative Floridians Protecting Freedom, at an event after the results were called. “The reality is a majority of Floridians, in what is the most conservative presidential election in Florida history, just voted to end Florida’s abortion bans.”